Starting a business seems like an overwhelming job. As excited and encouraged as we are to start our new business, especially in the travel industry where dreaming about places and talking about them seems so much fun, it is logical that we approach our friends and family for support and comfort. We know THEY will be there for us, they will book their trips with us, they will trust us, and they will be the most fun clients to work with.

Well… maybe some of us are really, really lucky and can find that kind of support, but honestly, most of the time, family and friends may not be planning to travel, or they feel they can find better deals on the internet, or in worst case scenarios, they are the nightmare clients we read about in postings and magazines.  These situations are most often the case.

So, the biggest question is: WHERE CAN I FIND MY CLIENTS?

Welcome to the real world!

First, let me introduce social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and some other ones that I am not so familiar with, but hopefully, most of you can navigate them well.

Second, try your community: Church, gym, clubs and all the places you belong (or they think you belong) so you can freely post your flyers or business cards.

Third, the old famous yet still reliable: local newspaper (yes, they will charge for it!)

Now that you have some different vehicles for gaining clients, you should decide if you want to specialize in certain areas. I highly recommend that you do so. This means that you will be able to call yourself an EXPERT at something. This does NOT mean that you cannot book other vacations. But travelers like to talk to experts, they like to recommend experts, and becoming an expert is a great investment in yourself. For example, compare the service of a travel agent to a hairdresser. Someone who is a colorist specializes in color. It doesn’t mean s/he can not cut, blow dry, wash, perm, etc., it means that s/he is BEST at coloring hair and in few years, everyone will recommend them for color, and they will become well-known as a colorist. The same applies for travel agents. Become a specialist in Adventure Tours, Honeymoons, Family Vacations, or Cruises, etc.

Be sure to wisely use all your different vehicles and TELL your family and friends, but don’t ask them for business.

Make your new clients your friends and they will be glad to recommend you to their friends and family 🙂

Questions? askrosana@aol.com

As a tour operator I dealt with many travel agents who called our office quite frequently for different quotes. When I followed up with the travel agent, they were honest when they told me that the client had changed their mind, or bought with someone else, or that they had never heard back from the client. I could hear the frustration in their voices. Believe me, I was frustrated too. Who likes to work for nothing?

There were a few agents who were not as upset, even if they had lost the client, because they had charged a fee for consultation. But the real target of this business is not to make money on consulting fees, but to make commission, deliver a great trip, have a satisfied client who will recommend you to other potential clients.

So, what went wrong? It is easy to blame the client.

I like to think that sometimes we win and sometimes we learn (not lose). So let’s learn from those situations:

Personally, I believe that when talking to a client I need to be completely present with them on the phone or in person. I need to give them 100% of my attention. I can’t be distracted by driving, shopping, taking care of kids, or even feeding my pet. My client needs and deserves all of my attention.

I need to hear his/her voice to understand what kind of client they are. By hearing their voice, it’s easy to tell if this is the first call they are making to ask about the vacation, or if this is call number 8, but they are motionless in their decision making.

If they sound inexperienced, you need to guide them with your questions and do a reality check for all impossible requests. How many people? When and where? What is the budget? And finally, when will they be ready to book?

If the client comes to you for a proposal of 6 people to Italy and France, one week in July, for a budget including airfare of $1,000 each, the client needs a reality check, because that is too much for too little, at that time of the year, in that destination. A nice conversation will give you and the client more of an idea whether this is a serious commitment, or just someone with great intentions and dreams. Don’t promise to try to find a package for this amount of money, because you will be wasting each other’s time. But, also do not think that this is a client with no potential. Many times, these are “virgin” clients who just need to learn a little more about the place they are going, and adjust the time of year, budget, or even destination. Do that successfully, and you’ll have their business for life.

Also, don’t underestimate a motionless client. Many times you’ll have a client who has called many travel agents before you, and they seem to be tired of the same kinds of promises and answers. They may just need a little laugh, or a little of a “travel agent being original” and voila, you’ve got that client as well.

It’s very important to control the client by making sure you give them clear deadline dates for decisions and payments. Politeness and kindness go together when you are making efforts to control of the situation. You’ll close the deal every time if you listen carefully to your prospective clients.

More will be written on this subject. Feel free to write and ask questions to askrosana@aol.com

 I have noticed that every time I post a one line tip or inspirational message, I get a lot of likes on Facebook. But, when I post a longer piece of text, only a few travel agents read the whole post. I wish I could teach all that I know in a “fortune cookie” sized message, but I can’t.
Facebook has it own way of working, and I don’t even try to understand it anymore. I have close to 5,000 “friends” (the maximum number a person can have), and I wish more of them would read my words of guidance, and comment on anything they like, or that they don’t agree with, or if they think my advice is not relevant to their business of travel.
I try to post all 5 days during the work week. With more engagement, I can reach more people. I am hoping that more of my “friends” will look for my name, see one of my posts, and take a moment to “Like” it or to make a comment. That small effort would make a big difference in the number of people I can reach. I am sincere in offering my guidance and teaching what I know, all so I can give back to travel agents.
I really want to pay it forward and give back.
Can you help me to make this possible? Let’s make a deal!  Will you read, comment and “Like” my posts?
In exchange, I will write as many inspirational quotes and thoughts so you can share or copy and paste.
I will try to reach as many travel agents as I can.
It’s difficult to put all my knowledge into “fortune cookie” sized messages, but I promise to continue to try!
Thank you!
Rosana